The Three Stages of Life

Hello once again friends, brothers and sisters! The Lord speaks to my heart often about things I need to know for my life and for things He wants me to pass along to others as well; many times I need to learn them for myself in order to share them with others. I type them and save them (the original revelations and pieces of illumination) in my phone because, when the Holy Spirit gives something to me I need to record it so I don’t forget it. In this case, it was dated for March of this year (2015).

Quite simply, as the title above suggests, there are three phases in our lives; however, we quite often pass into and live according to, only the first two. Number one is unavoidable and the other two are conscious choices. Number two is where most of us dwell and remain. Number three is the prerequisite for true life and most of us never reach it or take hold if it.

We were created, took form and have breath because of God and God alone. We are not born innocent as many suggest or as the myth would have us believe. But we are born IGNORANT, to a large degree. What are we ignorant of? In Acts 3:17, Peter tells the Jews that though they murdered the Lord Jesus, they “acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.” A little later on in 17:23 of Acts Paul proclaims to the Athenians that their many objects of worship (idols) are worshiped “in ignorance.” The book of Ephesians instructs us that we are “alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in [us], due to [our] hardness of heart.” This ignorance denotes a lack of knowledge, a lack of understanding, or being unaware. In this case, it refers to the Word and Law of God. We come into this world with a huge deficiency in this area. It is due in part to the want of formation in our young minds, but primarily because of the sin nature we inherited from Adam and Eve; our relatives and predecessors. In His love expressed through mercy, God the Father “overlooked the times of ignorance…”

We complete that verse with the words”…but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed, and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him [Jesus] from the dead.” You see, we are born with a sinful predisposition, already separated from the Father, even before we have done anything, whether good or bad. As we come into a knowledge of God Almighty and His holiness through the observation of created things (Romans 1:19-20), we are now accountable. We are daily and keenly aware of our imperfections and limitations (to say the least). In this present age, especially, we have access to churches, teachings on CD, podcasts, television, DVDs, radio, books and the internet in addition to the very Word of God in the Holy Bible itself. So once again, we are without excuse. Making choices against availing ourselves of these plentiful, easily- and widely-available resources on a daily basis sets up our judgment and serves as evidence against us. Why would we do this to ourselves?

The second of the three stages of life is characterized, as the Lord revealed to me, as FOLLY. Another word for this is foolishness. Some words in both the Old and New Testaments (Hebrew and Greek) for folly are: stupidity, disgrace, sexual immorality, shameful rebellion, senselessness, perversity, futility, moral ineptitude, minds closed to the truth, and vice. These are words which describe or are associated with human choice and/ or its consequences. In short, it clearly displays a knowledge (rather than previous ignorance) and a disregard for it. This is purposeful, intentional and shows a deliberate willfulness. We make all kinds of wrong choices leading to all kinds of consequences while aware of, and having access to, the laws and ways of the Creator. This is the height, and a premier distinction, of folly.

The period which I hesitate to refer to as last- because it is virtually never chosen or attained- is called WISDOM. One of the most important and foundational truths revealed to man by God is found in both Psalms and Proverbs and says, “The fear of the Lord is wisdom.” And the latter book goes one step further by echoing “and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” The Lord Jesus alludes to His disappointment and foreknowledge by imploring us to “enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” And if Jesus were on the earth today, He would undoubtedly add “because many are not looking for it.”

Wisdom is translated around 150 times in the Old Testament, especially in the book of Proverbs (one of the five books in the Word of God referred to as “the Books of Wisdom”), to mean the God-given ability of the transformed heart and mind to live in conformity to the plans, purposes and character of God. Wisdom is impossible apart from Him. Not only is it the knowledge of the righteous ways of Jehovah, but it is the desire, intent and purposeful choice to make godly decisions and to live them out. To not know them is IGNORANCE, to know them and to reject or ignore them is FOLLY (and leads to destruction), and to know them and willingly, intentionally, submissively and obediently live by them is WISDOM. It is, in a simplified but true sense, skill or ability imparted by God for right living. As with salvation, it is a gift of the Father but useless if not embraced and put into practice. God bless you.